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A proposed $3.5-billion ski resort in Squamish has been given the initial go-ahead by the province.

The Garibaldi at Squamish project has been granted environment assessment approval, it was announced Friday afternoon — the first of many approvals being sought by developers. The decision comes following a review led by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office.

“The certificate conditions were developed following consultation and input from Squamsh Nation, government agencies, local governments, communities and the public,” read the media release issued around 3 p.m. Friday.

Developers will be required to, among other conditions, limit the amount of groundwater withdrawal from the Paradise Valley aquifer, monitor daily water use and aquifer levels and to report that information publicly, and study any possible adverse effects on locatl riverways that may result from construction and operation of groundwater pumping.

The conditions also require that developers create a biodiversity plan outlining how resort operators will address any impacts on vegetation and wildlife, and set aside 10 per cent of resort lodgings to be dedicated for resort staff.

As a result of feedback received during the review process, developers have also agreed to eliminate plans for a golf course and developments near Cat and Brohm Lakes.

The environmental assessment certificate is only the first step of many that developers will need to tackle before the resort comes to fruition.

Among those, the District of Squamish will also need to decide on a possible boundary expansion, while municipalities in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District will need to decide on whether to grant an amendment to a regional growth strategy.

“All of these decisions have the potential to significantly change the nature and scope of the project and would address many of the issues raised during the assessment that are outside the scope of the assessment,” read the media release.

The project is proposed to be a year-round destination resort built on Brohm Ridge on Mount Garibaldi that includes three gondolas and 18 chairlifts servicing 124 ski runs.

Also included in the current plans are ski and multi-use trails, nearly 6,000 units of resort accommodations, guest services, public amenities, and various infrastructure spread over 2,759 hectares.

It has been suggested that the resort could produce about 2,500 full-time-equivalent jobs.

The nearby resort town of Whistler, Tourism Whistler and its Chamber of Commerce have spoken out against the Squamish resort, arguing it’s not an ideal venue for skiing, and that it would cut down the number of visitors headed for Whistler.

Squamish locals and politicians, however, have fought back, arguing the decision would be made by “the people of Squamish and the Squamish Nation,” according to former Squamish councillor Paul Lalli.

-with files from Postmedia

sip@theprovince.com

twitter.com/stephanie_ip

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